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 IMPORTANT ADVOCACY UPDATE!
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Arts|Learning is a member of the Kennedy Center Alliance for Arts Education Network--a consortium of 35 state alliances across the United States dedicated to arts advocacy and quality arts education for the nation's children.
 
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Greetings!

 

Funding cuts being proposed in the U.S. House of Representatives to the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), NPR, and CPB continues to worsen.  The proposed cut to the NEA is now set at $22.5 million (two days ago it was $12 million) which would represent the largest cut to that agency in 16 years. Yesterday two members of Congress have introduced amendments to further cut, and terminate, funding during consideration of the FY 2011 appropriations measure.  Rep. Tim Walberg (R-MI) has introduced an amendment to further cut that amount by $20.5 milllion from the NEA budget.  Rep. Scott Garrett (R-NJ) has introduced an amendment to terminate funding to the NEA immediately in this fiscal year. Both amendments are in line to be considered this week.

 

A key paragraph in a recent Washington Post story covering these budget cuts explains what is happening:  The Republican Study Committee, "Its ranks swollen with enthusiastic freshman who have never taken calls from constituents angry about loss of a favored program...threatened to oppose the package on the House floor next week unless deeper cuts were adopted."  

 

We need you to send a message to your Members calling on them to reject these cuts to the NEA because they will negatively affect the economy back home. By taking two minutes today to send a customizable message via AFTA's E-Advocacy Center, letters on your behalf will be sent to both your Senators and your House Representative.  This will ensure that your voice will be heard by Members of Congress (especially freshmen members), who are now assessing their constituents' viewpoints on these budget cuts.

 

Please also urge legislators to support funding for NPR and the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. 
AL Logo  ADVOCACY AWARDS

  Nominate an Arts Advocate in Massachusetts!  The deadline for applications is fast approaching (March 1st!).  For information about the School of Excellence Award, click here.  Please send the information to Arts|Learning using the "National Award" packet.   

 

For all other A|L awards, please click here for the information.  You may nominate another person or yourself!  You do not have to be an Arts|Learning member to nominate or be nominated!

 

Awards will be presented at a gala ceremony at the MA Statehouse on May 25, 2011. 

 

Minds in Motion II

Arts|Learning is thrilled to co-sponsor this fabulous interhookerdisciplinary 3-credit course  being held on the campus of the Walnut Hill School in Natick, MA, over 4 sislerSaturdays this spring. Costs are

$139greenwald5 for 3 graduate credits, OR the newest option is $495 for 67.5 Professional Development Points.  For more information or to register, click here. 

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Our Esteemed Staff: Left:  John Hooker

Nina Greenwald

David Martin

Right:  Elaine Sisler        

Annual Arts Index
AFTA

Americans for the Arts released its second annual National Arts Index scores recently and the findings demonstrate well that the arts follow the nation's business cycle: the 2009 Index score of 97.7 is the lowest Index score in the twelve years measured by the Index.

  • The 2009 score represents a drop of 3.6 percentage points from 101.3 in 2008.
  • There were 3,000 new nonprofit arts organizations created during the 2007-09 recession years but attendance at mainstream arts organizations and events continues a long-term decline.
  • In 2008, 41% of nonprofit arts groups reported a deficit to the IRS, up from 36% in 2007.

Good news included the following:

  • Americans are seeking more personal engagement in the arts. Personal arts creation and volunteerism is growing. The number of Americans who personally participated in an artistic activity increased 5% between 2005 and 2009, while volunteering also jumped 11.6 percent.
  • The number of artists in the workforce has increased 17% from 1996 to 2009 (1.9 to 2.2 million).
  • Demand for Arts Education is up. There are more college-bound seniors with 4 years of arts or music and in the past decade college arts degrees conferred annually have risen from 75,000 to 127,000.